The popular guy

Hayashi’s eyes, staring intently at me, seemed to be speaking.

Answer me.

Answer me.

…Answer.

Overwhelmed by the pressure of Hayashi’s gaze, I let out a sigh.

“Ishida hated me, you know.”

Resigned, I told Hayashi.

The moment she heard my words, Hayashi let out an “ahh” as if it all made sense. The fact that she was satisfied with that shows just how awful she can be. The worst part? She’s completely unaware that she’s just done something cruel to me.

“Don’t you think you’re hated by way too many people?”

And then, Hayashi had the nerve to say something so tactless.

If it weren’t me, someone else would’ve gotten mad.

“Well, there was that whole culture festival thing, too.”

“I don’t think the culture festival alone would cause that much hate, though?”

I fell silent.

She’s probably right.

“A lot happened, you know.”

“…I see.”

Hayashi looked down, a hint of sadness in her expression.

With her glasses on and sitting in that girly way, head bowed, the current Hayashi doesn’t suit the “Queen” nickname she had back in high school at all.

“But why would even Ichichan hate you? Ichichan was as kind as Akari, smart, too. She didn’t seem like the type to hate anyone.”

It’s true—Ishida wasn’t just beautiful in appearance but in personality, too.

Ishida and I were in the same class in our first and third years. In our first year, it was with Hayashi. In our third year, it was with Hayashi and Kasahara, and we hung out a lot.

I still vividly remember how Ishida, alongside Kasahara, often took care of Hayashi back then.

Being able to handle Hayashi back then was proof enough of a kind personality, so that’s an episode you can’t leave out when talking about how wonderful Ishida’s character was.

“Probably because she was too smart—that’s why she hated me.”

But the reason Ishida disliked me goes beyond what Hayashi might think.

“…I never once gave up the top spot in our grade during all three years of high school.”

“Oh, right, that’s true.”

“Yeah. I’d love to brag and satisfy my need for validation, but back then, I didn’t have any decent friends. Far from satisfying my ego, hardly anyone even noticed.”

“You know, you’ve got some pretty small-minded thoughts for someone like you.”

“Anyway, that’s how I kept the top spot the whole time. But there were people who got jealous or threw hostile glares my way because of it.”

“And that was Ichichan?”

I nodded.

“After every test, Ishida would find some secluded spot and confront me for like a week. Stuff like, ‘Go a little easier on me,’ or ‘I won’t lose next time,’ or ‘How do you get such good grades? Let me study with you at your place, just the two of us, okay?’ Things like that. She was always trying to bring me down.”

“…Huh?”

“What’s wrong, Hayashi?”

“Sorry… uh, sorry. …Huh?”

“What’s with you all of a sudden? You feeling okay?”

“…Huh? Sorry, just… let me process this for a sec.”

“Huh? Sure.”

“You were always number one in our grade.”

“Yeah.”

“And Ichichan?”

“…She said she was always second, I think.”

“Wow… Did you two ever talk outside of those post-test moments?”

“Huh? …Well, sometimes. There were times I felt her staring at me, so I’d say something to her.”

“And how did she react then?”

“Like she had a fever or something. Her face would always turn red, and she’d bolt away from me.”

“…What?”

“Huh?”

“…And after every test, she begged you to study together?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you ever take her up on it?”

“You think I would? That’s not my style.”

“…So you two kept having those kinds of conversations?”

“Not the whole time. …I think it stopped after the second semester finals in our third year. Maybe she realized she couldn’t beat me, because she stopped coming at me after that.”

What’s gotten into the girl sitting right next to me?

Hayashi closed the yearbook in front of her and flopped onto the bed. Then, she pulled the blanket over herself, muttering something like a chant.

Hayashi’s phone started vibrating.

“Oi, your phone’s ringing.”

“…Answer it.”

Hayashi’s usually pretty good at taking care of things, but every now and then, like right now, she suddenly acts like a spoiled kid.

I figure it’s probably a reaction to the domestic violence she endured from her boyfriend for nearly half a year, so I try to indulge her when she gets like this.

Well, she’s never asked for anything too unreasonable… except for that one time at the hotel.

“Here.”

Hayashi took the phone from me.

She still seemed a little off.

“Hello? Oh, Mom. …Huh? Oh, yeah, sure, send it.”

It seems the call was from Hayashi’s mom.

I thought it might be about her dad’s condition, but it doesn’t seem like it. I felt a small sense of relief inside.

“How’s Dad doing? …Oh, okay. Yeah. Huh? …N-no, I wasn’t worried or anything.”

Liar.

“Yeah. What? …S-shut up! You’re so loud, seriously. …Ugh. Can I go now? I’m hanging up. Bye.”

Toward the end, it sounded like she forcibly ended the call.

What could her mom have said to her? Well, I know it’s not about me.

Right after hanging up, Hayashi emerged from the blanket.

“Hey, Yamamoto.”

“Hm?”

Hayashi had a strangely serious look on her face.

After hearing her words, I’d assumed her dad was fine, but… a bad feeling crept over me.

“Ichichan got married.”

“What?”

I couldn’t help but let out a weird noise.